Tulsa International Airport Study Funded by Oklahoma Aeronautics Commission

The Oklahoma Aeronautics Commission recently voted to approve $300,000 to conduct a study at the Tulsa International Airport which may lead to the construction of a new air traffic control tower, according to a report published Thursday in The Journal Record.

The Federal Aviation Administration will analyze the necessity and cost justification for a new air traffic control tower under the yearlong Airport Facilities Terminal Integration Laboratory study, which was funded by the Oklahoma Aeronautics Commission along with an additional contribution of $139,000 from the Tulsa Airports Improvement Trust. No timeline is set for construction because it will depend on the results of the study and available funding, according to the report.

At 60 years old, the Tulsa International Airport air traffic control tower requires frequent maintenance. The airport occasionally utilizes a temporary tower with limitations.

Generally, agency-staffed towers are owned by the Federal Aviation Administration but the Tulsa International Airport owns this particular tower. The FAA is reluctant to fund construction of a new tower for this reason.

The Tulsa Airports Improvement Trust is working on a five-year capital improvement plan that includes fiscal year 2020 and 2021 projects to work on elevators and escalators, rehabilitate buildings and repair parking lots, roads and taxiways, according to the report.